Darren Hughes

Darren Colyn Hughes (born 3 April 1978) is a New Zealand former Member of Parliament between 2002 and 2011, first elected at the age of 24. He represented the Labour Party and was a Minister outside Cabinet in the Fifth Labour Government of New Zealand.

In 2011 Hughes resigned from Parliament and in 2012 he relocated to the United Kingdom to become the Campaigns and Research Director of the Electoral Reform Society.^[1] In 2013 Hughes became Deputy Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society, based in South London.^[2]

Current role

Darren Hughes is Deputy Chief Executive of the Electoral Reform Society (ERS). The ERS is a civil society organisation striving to make British democracy fit for the 21st century.^[3] Since joining the ERS in 2012, Hughes has been responsible for driving the Society’s campaigns and research priorities. Under the leadership of Hughes and Chief Executive Katie Ghose, the Electoral Reform Society has broadened its remit beyond its traditional focus on voting systems, to promote other issues that are vital to the health of British democracy. These priorities fall within the campaign and research fields of ‘A Fair Franchise’, ‘Who Runs Britain?’ and ‘Democratic Futures’.

Early life and education

Darren Hughes is the eldest of five children in what he has called "a large extended Catholic family".^[4] He attended Coley Street Primary School in Foxton, St Josephs and then Horowhenua College in Levin. While at school Hughes was involved in the school and wider community including a three-year stint as Student Representative on the Board of Trustees.

In 1994 Hughes was a Youth MP. He was the first Youth MP to later be elected to Parliament.^[4]

Hughes attended Victoria University of Wellington where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in public policy and social policy.

In government (2002–2008)

Hughes was elected to parliament as member for Otaki in the 2002 general election, standing for the Labour Party. For the next six years he was New Zealand's youngest MP.^[4] In 2005 he was re-elected with the country's smallest majority, 382.^[5]

As a local MP, Hughes opened the Horowhenua Health Centre in 2007. He also organised a local campaign to save the centre when it was threatened by budget cuts in 2010.^[6]

Voting record

Hughes voted in favour of a law allowing same sex civil unions and the decriminalisation of prostitution, but against a Death with Dignity law.

Party responsibilities and ministerial positions

Hughes was his party's junior whip and a Member of the Officers of Parliament Select Committee. In November 2007, as a part of the fifth Labour government's final reshuffle, Prime Minister Helen Clark made him a Minister outside Cabinet with the Statistics portfolio. He was also made the associate minister for Social Development and Employment. He also served as deputy Leader of the House.

In opposition (2008–2011)

In the 2008 general election the National Party defeated Labour. Hughes lost his Otaki seat to Nathan Guy but, being listed by Labour at 19, returned to Parliament as a list MP. Opposition Leader Phil Goff appointed him Transport Spokesperson. He was also made the opposition's senior whip.

On 15 June 2010, as part of a shadow-cabinet reshuffle, Hughes became the Spokesperson for Infrastructure.^[7] Later, he was also given the Education portfolio and served as Shadow Leader of the House from 2009 to 2011.

In 2010, Darren Hughes submitted a private members' bill to lower the drink driving limit to 0.05 (Its full name was the Land Transport (Safer Alcohol Limits for Driving) Amendment Bill). The bill was his response to an earlier government decision to not lower the limit.^[8] It was placed on the ballot in June, August and November, but not drawn.^[9][10][11] According to the New Zealand Herald at the time, Hughes "…drafted his legislation only after the Government decided not to lower the limit. But, commendably, he has been careful not to make it an exercise in points-scoring. Mr Hughes says he wants politicians to "put aside their party differences and work together on issues of road safety"."^[12]

Police investigation and resignation

Hughes's time as an MP ended abruptly in March 2011 after a young man laid a police complaint of a sexual nature against him. The complaint concerned events that occurred on 2 March. Shortly after the complaint became public, and while the police were still investigating, Hughes resigned from Parliament.^[13] His resignation was announced on 25 March and effective from 5 April.^[14][15] Louisa Wall replaced him as a Labour list MP.^[16]

On 8 June the Police confirmed that they would not lay any charges against Hughes.^[17]

Sequence of events

On 23 March 2011 Hughes confirmed that he was "being investigated by police after an alleged late night incident."^[18] This announcement was designed to end speculation surrounding his Labour party colleagues.

Around two weeks earlier the police had received a complaint from an 18-year-old male^[19] who, like Hughes, was a former Youth MP.^[20] The incident was reported to be of a sexual nature^[21] and alleged to have occurred on the morning of 2 March at Labour Party deputy leader Annette King's home, where Hughes was living. Witnesses reported seeing the complainant outside and naked that morning.^[22]

Hughes denied any wrongdoing but later offered to resign from Parliament. Labour leader Phil Goff, who had known about the complaint for two weeks,^[23] initially refused the resignation^[24] but changed his mind a day later. Goff announced Hughes' resignation on 25 March 2011.^[14]

On the same day Hughes released another statement which in part said:

"My position as an MP has become untenable. In order to be able to exercise my basic rights as a citizen, it is necessary for me to resign as a Member of Parliament. I have informed Phil Goff of my decision.

Although people are commonly thought to be innocent until proven guilty, it has become clear to me that this doesn't apply in the political arena.

I have done nothing wrong, and I remain confident that the legal process will have the right outcome.

My immediate focus is on clearing my name. I will continue to co-operate fully with the police inquiry ..."^[25]

Speaker of the House Lockwood Smith confirmed Hughes's resignation on 1 April and it took effect on 5 April 2011.^[15]

Over three months after the original incident, on 8 June, the Police announced that they did not have enough evidence to press charges against Hughes. They also revealed that an anonymous letter containing allegations against Hughes had been sent to "some media outlets". They had investigated these allegations but "there were no matters which arose that required police attention".^[17]

Reallocation of portfolios

The roles that Hughes had filled for the Labour opposition went to Sue Moroney, David Shearer and Rick Barker. Moroney took over the education portfolio, with specific responsibility for primary and secondary schooling, and joined the party's front bench. Shearer took over the tertiary education portfolio and Barker became the new senior whip.^[26]

Replacement by Louisa Wall (as MP) and Peter Foster (as Otaki candidate)

Because he'd been elected through the party list rather than by an electorate, Hughes' seat passed down Labour's party list to Louisa Wall without a by-election.^[27] There were five people listed before Wall who could have taken the seat, but they all stood aside. (Wall, unlike the others, was due to stand for Labour in the general election later that year.)^[28] The five were all former MPs, listed at numbers 38-42: Judith Tizard (number 38),^[29] Mark Burton,^[30] Mahara Okeroa, Martin Gallagher and Dave Hereora (42).^[31]

With Hughes not running for re-election, Labour named Raumati lawyer Peter Foster as their Otaki electorate candidate for 2011.^[32]

References